Medical English Translation Skills(1):Omission

by
jane /Jun 17, 2011

As a medical English major, I had collected a lot of materials related to this field. When I was in the university, I tried to conclude some rules to translate medical articles under my teachers' help. Maybe my understanding of this area is still superficial, but I hope it can promote us to explore more on this aspect.
Omission is one of the important methods when translating medical texts, due to the differences between English and Chinese.
It can be divided into five categories: a. Omission of Articles; b. Omission of Pronouns; c. Omission of "it"; d. Omission of Prepositions; e. Omission of Conjunctions.
a. Omission of Articles
Fever per se is not usually of any significant danger to the child, provided that the increased insensible water loss is replaced.
只要增多的非显性失水得到补偿，发热本身对儿童通常不会有什么重大的危险。
The child was delivered, but lifeless. As the obstetrician gazed at the still form, a shiver of horror passed over her.
孩子生下来了，但是死了。产科医生看到静止不动的孩子时一阵恐怖的战栗传遍了他的全身。
b. Omission of Pronouns
Achilles reflex is carried out most satisfactorily when the patient kneels on a chair and extend his feet and ankles over the edge.
检查跟键反射时，最好使病人跪在椅子上，双脚及踝伸出椅子边缘。
The surgeon opened the abdomen and, after examining it carefully, found an adhesion of the ulcerous part to the intestinal loops.
外科医师打开腹腔，仔细检查后，发现溃疡部分有一处与肠襻粘连。c. Omission of "it"
It is most clear that anesthetist's obligation is to insure an open airway at all times, from the moment of introduction, through the recovery of consciousness.
有一点是非常清楚的，麻醉师的责任就是一直保证呼吸道的畅通，从麻醉诱导到病人的知觉回复。
d. Omission of Prepositions
A few years ago Andrew Schally of the Veterans Administration Hospital in New Orleans isolated and synthesized LH-RH , a chemical capable of being an oral contraceptive
几年前，（在）新奥尔良退役军人管理局医院的安德森.沙利分离并合成了一种能作为口服避孕药的化合物LH-RH(黄体化激素释放激素)。
e. Omission of Conjunctions
When glycogen estimations and the study of glycolytic enzyme system are required, a piece of muscle should be placed in liquid nitrogen immediately after removal from the patient.
（当）要做糖原测定和糖酵解酶系统的研究（时），就得从病人身上取下一片肌肉并立刻放入液氮中。
Although modern medicine has made tremendous advances, cancer is still one of the most dangerous disease.
（虽然）现代医学取得了惊人的进展，癌症却仍是最危险的疾病之一。